


Turn the Page

by youbuggme



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Fluffy Ending, Light Angst, Living Together, M/M, Secrets, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-29 14:17:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6379546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youbuggme/pseuds/youbuggme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>“Theon,” Robb rushed into their shared bedroom slightly out of breath and wide eyed, “have you seen my textbooks?”</em><br/> <em>“Which ones?” Theon didn’t even bother looking up from his laptop. He knew the books Robb as referring to and he knew they were definitely not textbooks, as much as Robb seemed to think he had Theon fooled into thinking. </em></p><p>Tumblr Request.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this was requested by a lovely anon on tumblr: _Established relationship: Robb likes to read in secret Sansa’s stupid romance novels, Theon discovers it :)_
> 
> This ended up turning out _way_ longer than I had originally intended and it is going to be split into two parts :P
> 
> Sorry this took so long to write! Anyways, enjoy!

“Theon,” Robb rushed into their shared bedroom slightly out of breath and wide eyed, “have you seen my textbooks?”

“Which ones?” Theon didn’t even bother looking up from his laptop. He knew the books Robb as referring to and he knew they were definitely _not_ textbooks, as much as Robb seemed to think he had Theon fooled into thinking.

“The two I had on my nightstand,” Robb gestured frantically to the now bare nightstand on his side of the bed. “I believe it was _Genocide: The Basics_ and _The Norton Anthology of English Literature_.” That was at least the sleeve his boyfriend had thrown on the books.

“Haven’t seen them, mate,” Theon shrugged, finally looking up. “Don’t you have other things to be worried about?”

Robb swallowed nervously. He wouldn’t have to be so nervous if he just told the truth. “I finished cleaning the bathroom, all that is left is the kitchen and-”

 “I’m sure your textbooks will turn up,” Theon closed his laptop and stood up. “Do you need them immediately?”

“Well, no,” Robb admitted. Theon was disappointed, if Robb was that committed to the lie he should have said yes. “I’ll just need them back eventually.”

“We’ll look after Asha leaves, but right now,” Theon walked over to his boyfriend of almost six damn years and gripped him by the shoulders, “we need to finish cleaning up so she can’t find anything to complain about. You know how she can be. Damn pain in my ass.”

“Right,” Robb nodded his head, leaning it against his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“What’s so special about your textbooks anyways?” Theon asked, smirking darkly. God, how many times over the years did Theon give Robb a chance to come clean? “You graduated two years ago.”

Robb jumped up and backed away, guilt in his eyes from nearly being caught in the lie. “Oh, nothing,” he smiled but anxiety was taking root in the corners of his lips. “I’m going to go finish the kitchen. Can you make sure her sleeping arrangement is in order?”

Theon smirked as Robb disappeared out of the room. Yes, perhaps it was a little cruel of Theon to be hiding the books Robb was desperately trying to find. On the other hand, Robb had been hiding (not so well) this secret from Theon for a long time. The poor sod just hadn’t realized Theon has known for years now.

* * *

_Theon sunk heavily onto Robb’s bed and fell back onto it, looking up at the white popcorn ceiling. Robb was downstairs dealing with his siblings, something about Arya and Bran getting into another spat and Snow needing help controlling the situation. Theon didn’t mind. Robb’s room was practically his at this point. Hell, Theon might have actually spent more time in it than Robb._

_So he didn’t mind the wait. Besides, it was amusing to hear the straining voice of Robb as him and Snow apparently had to pull Arya off of Bran and his wheelchair while Sansa made sure Rickon didn’t add himself in the fray._

_Hearing the door crack open, Theon sat up and glanced over. Rather than meeting Robb’s Tully blue eyes, he met the doe brown eyes of Jeyne Poole who blushed upon making eye contact._

_“Poole,” Theon purred as the younger friend of Sansa blushed. He knew she had a little crush on him, for a couple years at least, and he liked to mess with her. It was a hobby that Robb reprimanded him on many times over. “What are you doing here?”_

_She blushed a violent shade of pink and looked down at her feet. “I was…it’s nothing.”_

_Theon narrowed his eyes curiously on the girl. “If you are looking for Robb, he is downstairs. Can’t hear?” As if on cue, a loud battle cry tore out of, if Theon had to guess, Bran’s throat and Arya, presumably, shrieked in response._

_Jeyne Poole looked up, meeting his eyes again, before looking up at the ceiling red in the face. “I just wanted to know if he was finished with something.”_

_This got his interested piqued. “Finished with what?” Theon slinked off the bed. He knew the more nervous she got, the more she’d accidentally spill._

_“Nothing!” she squeaked._

_Theon closed in, towering over the short girl and resting an arm behind her head. They were closer now, but he didn’t touch her. He would only go so far in this joke or else he’d have to face Sansa’s wrath again. Besides, the last thing he needed was Robb thinking he had a thing for Poole when Theon had been spending the past four months throwing moves on_ him _._

_“Do tell.”_

_Jeyne bit her lip tenderly as she looked down at Theon’s shirt. She seemed unable to hold his gaze for longer than a second. “A book.”_

_Theon deflated at this and pushed away from her, giving her space to breath. She took the air in big gasps like she had been just released from being strangled._

_“Oh, what book?” he asked, but if Theon was being honest, he really didn’t care. He mostly just wanted the girl to calm down before she ended up hyperventilating. Again, the threat of Sansa was too much for Theon to let her go as she was._

_“Just a silly book.” Her blush had dropped drastically, but it returned slightly at the words. “It’s fine. I’ll get it back from him later.”_

_Theon watched in confusion as Jeyne quickly made her escape out of the room. Theon didn’t know why and if she had just waited he would have gotten the book for her. Theon knew Robb’s room like the back of his hand and he even knew the stupid collection of books the guy had._

_Shrugging, he went to the desk in the corner of Robb’s room and looked around for a book that he didn’t own. The only one he even saw out of place was a Jurassic Park lying in the corner. Picking it up, Theon sunk into the desk chair and propped his feet on the desk. He didn’t care for reading, although had gotten used to it after years of being in Robb’s company. Whenever they didn’t feel like doing anything, they’d read in compatible silence. It was an intimate act that only made Theon’s feelings for the guy grow more and more, to the point he wasn’t even trying to hold them back anymore._

_Flipping it open to a random page, Theon began to read but quickly found out that it was not the dinosaur adventure park thriller as previously advertised on the cover. No, Theon blushed brightly as he slammed the book shut in his lap. He patted the heat out of his cheeks before glancing down at the cover. While he hadn’t read Jurassic Park before, he did watch the movie and he was absolutely positive that there was no intimate romance between Phoebe and Dan. Hell, he was 100% sure there weren't characters named Phoebe and Dan._

_Theon carefully removed the sleeve of the book and found himself face to face with cover of a woman’s torso in a lavender corset with a gold necklace with a whistle charm on her neck. The title, in white italics, was It Had To Be You. Underneath was a quote from a reviewer, “Outrageous, heartwarming, wonderfully sensual…I loved it!”_

_Blinking in confusion, Theon glanced from the plastic Jurassic Park sleeve than back to the hardcover of It Had To Be You. It was taking too long for his brain to process this discovery._

_Upon hearing the tell-tale footsteps of Robb’s ascent of the stairs, Theon quickly slid the sleeve back on the book and returned it to its spot before jumping back to Robb’s bed, far away from the desk and the book._

_Robb opened the door a second later, exhaustion in his eyes. “He may be in a wheelchair but that kid still packs a nasty punch.”_

_Theon smirked, but felt himself not really able to fully enjoy the situation downstairs as he had before. Not with the situation of the book on the front of his mind._

_“Poole stopped by while you were downstairs,” Theon spoke. Robb froze at his words and glanced at Theon carefully. “’Wanted her book back.”_

_“Oh,” Robb swallowed. Theon watched as Robb searched for something to say before coming up with, “Yeah, she lent me Jurassic Park. It’s pretty good, not your thing though.”_

_Theon blinked. Was Robb really going to lie to him? Did he think he could actually get away with it? How far could Theon take this before Robb folded and told him the truth?_

_“Really? I liked the movies.”_

_“Just trust me,” Robb sunk on the bed next to Theon. “It’s not your thing.” Theon was going to press further but Robb quickly changed the subject, offering video games instead._

_Theon didn’t ask any more questions, letting Robb have his out this one time. But Theon didn’t forget, and he certainly wasn’t going to drop the investigation. He even put thoughts of trying to flirt with Robb on pause for the time being._

* * *

Asha came early the next morning. Theon knew that Robb was still searching for his “textbooks” but Theon had hid them in a place Robb would never find them. He knew the idiot wouldn’t check the air vent of the guest bedroom and he certainly wouldn’t go in there when Asha there.

Theon could tell the weight of stress was crushing Robb. Not only was Robb under the impression that his precious secret was about to be exposed, but he was also trying to seek the approval of Asha. Theon didn’t want to ruin his fun by telling Robb that on both counts he had nothing to worry about. It was ridiculous but Theon would be lying if he said he didn’t find it amusing.

So far, the first day of Asha’s overnight stay had gone without a hitch. Theon knew it would. Asha basically considered Robb to be the best thing that happened in his life. Theon wasn’t up for much debate on the topic. Still, Asha liked to have her fun.

“So what are your exact plans for my brother?” Asha asked over lunch. They had decided to go out and were eating at a casual burger place.

Robb blinked at the question. “What do you mean?” he asked carefully. Robb still felt the need to tip-toe the line with Asha, despite the fact that Asha on multiple occasions told Theon to “lock that shit down.”

“Well, he’s basically been in love with you since the, uh, fifth grade?” Asha looked at Theon for a confirmation on the exact time period.

“ _Asha,_ ” Theon hissed without answering her question so it went ignored.

“Is this serious for you or are you playing it casual?” Asha asked, her eyes dead on Robb. Theon kicked her under the table but she trooped it out and ignored him in favor of hounding Robb. “You two have been dating for what? Four years?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“Actually, six,” Robb murmured with a smug look on his face. He threw Theon a wink and Theon was tempted to kick him too.

Asha sent a glare at Theon. “You told me four.”

 “We were seventeen, I didn’t need you threatening a minor,” Theon sneered. “If it makes you feel better we didn’t tell his family either.”

Robb’s eyes danced in the memory. “We did have to pay Jon to keep it quiet.”

“So what?” Asha turned back to Robb. “You going to keep my idiot brother around?”

“Only if he wants me,” Robb admitted with a casual shrug. Theon jumped as Robb reached for his hand right in Asha’s view.

The look on her face could only be described as hysteric amusement as pink flooded his cheeks.

* * *

_After the incident with Jeyne, Theon simply assumed it had been a one time, embarrassing incident. He hadn’t caught Robb in any other lies and from the books Robb did read in front of them, they were all sleeveless paperbacks. None of them were anything like the book Jeyne had loaned. Theon checked. Theon actually forgot about the whole incident...until a year later._

_The Starks had given Theon $200 to house and dog sit for the long weekend. All he had to do was make sure there wasn't a flood, fire, or robbery and take care of the dogs. As long as Shaggy behaved and Ghost didn't bite him, it was a pretty dull task, despite the fruitful reward._

_It was two hours into the first day and Theon found himself on Robb's bed, bored out of his mind with nothing to do. Theon had been in Robb's room thousands of times over that there wasn't really anything new for him to find entertainment in. Life trudged on with its dull pace and he still had three and a half days to go._

_Lying properly in the bed, Theon turned to his side and opened the top draw of Robb’s nightstand. He glanced at the contents bored. He slammed it shut and drifted to the second draw._

_Opening it, he was faced with a stack of papers. Theon thumbed through them but stopped upon realizing there was something beneath them. Sitting up, Theon pulled the stack of papers out and stared at the book nestled inside._

_Theon licked his lips in apprehension as he lifted the orange booked out and settled it on his lap. Memories of his Jurassic Park find were coming back suddenly._

_On top, covering a good portion of the cover was a sticky note from Loras fucking Tyrell of all people:_

_“Sansa told me you were thinking of broadening your horizons and this is as good of a place to start as any. Maybe you’ll finally get the balls to ask Greyjoy out. Yeah, I know. The whole ~~school~~_ _town knows. Worst kept secret, except from maybe Greyjoy.”_

_A tiny smirk grazed his lips. That would certainly make his attempts at Robb more…purposeful now. Lifting the sticky note up to see what exactly Loras had gifted to Robb, Theon blinked in confusion as what was in his lap._

_The cover was of a misty fire scene with two half naked men on the cover. The title was Hot Heads. Theon knew what it was before he opened to the first page. He closed the book as he got all the confirmation he needed. Gay erotic novels, that was new._

_Theon tried to ignore the book as he put it back into its hiding spot. However, night came around and sleep evaded him. Theon tried to convince himself that it was boredom that made him pull the erotic novel out._

_But it was curiosity and entertainment that made him read the whole thing by morning._

_Once he finished it, he was antsy in waiting for the Starks to return. It gave him plenty of time to go over his options on how to proceed with this newfound knowledge of both Robb’s recent gifted book and his apparent feelings for Theon._

_Unfortunately, when he was faced with Robb in the privacy of the room, words didn’t quite make its way to the surface as he attacked Robb’s lips with his own. Needless to say, the topic of the book was never brought up again as Robb crowded him on the bed. Not much talking had been done that night._

* * *

“I’m going to step out and make a call,” Asha stood up from the sofa she and Theon had been sitting on. They were catching up and trading stories. It had been roughly a year since they had talked and the last time it had only lasted an hour. While they weren’t affectionate and overtly sibling-y like the Starks, they had been sitting shoulder to shoulder and occasionally shoving each other while chucking.

“Fine,” Theon stood up too. “I’m going to see what Robb’s up to.”

Asha stepped out onto the balcony of the apartment while Theon pushed open the door to his and Robb’s shared bedroom. There, Robb was digging through their closet. Theon leaned against the door frame and watching in amusement as his boyfriend gnawed at his lip in frustration.

“What are you looking for?” Theon smirked as Robb jumped. _Could he be any more obvious?_

“I figured I might have shoved my textbooks in the closet or something,” Robb muttered. “It’s no big deal.”

“I beg to differ,” Theon crossed the room and glanced into the mess of their closet. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so riled up.”

“I promise, it’s nothing,” Robb smiled a smidge too strained for Theon to buy it. “How are you and Asha doing?”

“Fine,” Theon shrugged carelessly. “She still likes you just fine and apparently she is taking over for my dad. Can’t do much in lockup and everyone had finally decided they actually need someone in charge”

“Beat your uncles out of it?”

“By a long shot,” Theon pressed a kiss to Robb’s lips. “Want me to help you look for your books?” Hell, maybe then Robb would tell him why they were so important. Finally put an end to this whole mess

“No,” Robb shook his head quickly. “I got it. Be with your sister before she has to leave tomorrow.”

“Fine,” Theon straightened his shoulders. “Good luck.”

* * *

_“Please tell me you aren’t planning on proposing,” Theon smirked as he looked around the upscale restaurant Robb had dragged him too._

_Robb kicked him from under the table. “Idiot, I just wanted to do something special.”_

_“You also prefaced this dinner with ‘I have a very important question to ask you,’” Theon reminded him. “Don’t get me wrong, Stark. I’d probably say yes. I just know Catelyn would skin you alive being as you are only twenty and still in university.”_

_Robb kicked him again. “You are such an idiot.”_

_Theon leaned onto the table, holding Robb’s gaze. “So do I get to know the question now, or do I have to wait after our seven course meal.”_

_Robb rolled his eyes but reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pale blue envelop and slid it over the table to Theon. “Stop. Don’t laugh. I wanted this to be special so don’t ruin it with your stupid jokes.” His eyes were dancing in tease but Theon could see lines of stress on his forehead. Whatever this question was, Robb was freaking out about it and trying to keep it contained._

_“I don’t think you can have a special moment with me and not have there be jokes,” Theon reached for the envelope but Robb didn’t let him take it._

_“Don’t laugh.”_

_“I’m not.”_

_Robb licked his lips and Theon couldn’t understand why Robb was so nervous. “Move in with me.”_

_Well, shit. Never mind then._

_Theon looked down at the envelope. “What’s in there?”_

_“The lease. I have a pen too,” Robb was beat red. “So?”_

_“I mean, yes I’ll fucking move in with you,” Theon was smiling far too big for him to even pass off a joke right now. But he tried, “Gods, this is so fucking cheesy. Did you get this out of one of Sansa’s romance books?”_

_Robb kicked him again but Theon could tell he hit the nail on the head. Now, if only Robb would admit to reading the damn things._

* * *

He was tipsy. Not drunk, but definitely not sober.

As per usual, Asha’s visits always ended with drinking. Theon used to think it had something to do with drowning sorrows, but neither of them have many sorrows anymore. Asha got what she wanted in life, control of the family business. Theon got what he wanted, happiness. Neither of them was looking to drown that away.

It seemed to him it was more traditional. It wouldn’t be a Greyjoy gathering if someone wasn’t drinking. It’d be a crime.

The lights were already off in his room, Robb curled beneath the blankets. Theon clumsily stripped and crawled under the covered, seeking the heat of Robb. The shaking of the bed woke him enough to pull Theon against him.

“’Have a good night?”

“Mmm.”

Robb chuckled softly, his hands dragging through Theon’s hair. “When do you need to drive her to the airport tomorrow?”

“Four,” Theon yawned, burying his face into Robb’s bare chest. “’Find your books?” _Fat chance_.

He felt Robb stiffen beneath him. “No, not yet. Like you said, hopefully they’ll turn up.”

“Hopefully.” _Hopefully you’ll just tell the fucking truth._

* * *

_“Fucking hell, Robb,” Theon looked at the sea of boxes that covered the apartment. “How much shit do you own?”_

_Robb followed behind him, “About two more boxes.” Robb raced up a pressed a light kiss to Theon’s cheek. “We finish unloading the car, than we can take a shower.”_

_Theon turned and watched Robb leave the room. “Together?” he asked with a cocked eyebrow._

_Robb threw back a smirked. “Together.”_

_Robb left the apartment and Theon turned to the boxes. If they were going to take a shower, he better find their shampoo at the very least. Reaching for the first box in front of him, Theon opened it and began rifling around in it. Coming up empty-handed, Theon turned to the next couple of boxes, all the same. It was on the sixth box that Theon ran into, not the hygiene products he was looking for, but a stack of books. The first one being a chemistry book to a class Theon knew Robb wasn’t and hadn’t taken._

_Already knowing what probably lied underneath, Theon pulled it out and slipped off the sleeve. Rather than one of Sansa or Jeyne’s romance novels or the erotic gay fiction Loras and Renly lent Robb from time to time, Theon was faced with a title he actually knew and, if he recalled correctly, read in high school. Pride and Prejudice. According to his knowledge and the cover of the book, one of the greatest romance novels. Ever._

_Hearing Robb approach once again, Theon shoved the book back in its sleeve and into the box._

_“Are you helping?” Robb slipped through the door and dropped off one of the last boxes._

_“Yeah,” Theon turned, holding up his best grin possibly. “I’m working on the second portion of your list.”_

_“Right,” Robb eyes shined with realization. “Well, I labeled the boxes for a reason.” He gestured to the side of the box. “I think I put the one you are looking for is by the bathroom, though.”_

_“Alright, I’ll get it ready; hurry up with the last box.”_

_Robb smiled like it was the best news he had heard all day, scratch that, all week. Theon watched him leave but couldn’t feel the same joy. A dark, but not unfamiliar, thought floated to the surface._

_He had found out about Robb’s secretive reading list a long time ago, nearly four years to be exact. Robb still hadn’t told him the truth. Theon personally never would have considered it a big deal. They were just books. Sure, he’d tease the living hell out of Robb but nothing else besides that. So why the secrecy?_

_Theon hated it, but he only ever came to one conclusion. One that he didn’t relish the thought of. One that he initially thought not to be true, but as years went one couldn’t help but think._

_What if Robb was using these damn books as a guide to his relationship? What if Robb was idealizing these shitty books? What was going to happen when Robb found out that Theon wasn’t going to be able to meet the standards? He already knew he couldn’t, so it would only be a matter of time before Robb realized that Theon wasn’t going to ever be able to stack up to Phillip, Dan, Austin, Gregory, Alejandro, Michael…the list was endless._

_But Theon knew he would never_ be _on that list._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Better late than never?
> 
> Warning: extremely fluffy and grossly-sweet ending.

Surprisingly, breakfast the next morning wasn’t a complete mess. Apparently, Asha and Robb had hit it off and as Theon finished cooking breakfast, he found them both sitting at the kitchen nook table. They were engrossed in some conversation Theon automatically knew he’d have no interest in. He did pick up “bipartisan” and “Geneva Convention” which only confirmed his suspicions. As long as each of them was having a good time, Theon couldn’t care less about what they ended up talking about.

“Not bad,” Asha admired the breakfast platter of eggs and bacon that Theon set onto the table. “You were always a good cook.”

Robb grinned wolfishly at the breakfast, “You really are.”

“Well,” Theon sat down at the seat next to Robb, “if the cooking was left up to either of you, we’d all be poisoned, comatose, or dead.”

Robb made a whine of disapproval while Asha crossed her arms, “That’s not true. I cooked for you and you lived.”

Theon made an appalled sound. “ _Barely._ You undercook everything and _you_ ,” Theon turned to Robb who snuck a piece of bacon off the plate when he thought Theon’s attention was elsewhere, “over cook everything.”

“Okay, Goldilocks,” Robb reached across the table for the ketchup bottle. Theon made a disgusted face as he watched his boyfriend pour the red condiment on his eggs, drowning the poor things.

“Goldi- _what_?” Asha stared at Robb’s plate in mutual disgust.

“It’s a fairy tale,” Theon shrugged. “Something about a girl basically breaking and entering and then using these bears’- they were bears, right? -anyways, these bears’ things and complaining the whole way through.”

“Sounds stupid,” Asha deemed.

Theon watched as Robb considered speaking up but decided against it.

“It is,” Theon agreed.

“You strike me as a person who’d like horrible endings,” Robb murmured.

“Horrible?” Asha looked amused.

“You know,” Robb shrugged, “like dark and horror type things.”

“We Greyjoys aren’t much of readers,” Asha muttered and Theon nodded in agreement.

* * *

_It was the middle of the night. Theon had woken up to find his bed empty and the light on in the living room. Slowly lifting himself from the bed, Theon crept toward the living room, carefully avoiding the sneaky floorboards._

_Poking his head around the corner, Theon saw Robb curled on the couch. The only source of light in the room was a single lamp by his shoulder. In his lap was a book. Theon couldn’t see the cover but he had a feeling it was the same Robinson Crusoe slip cover over Redeeming Love._

_“What’d you reading?” Theon asked as he approached the couch, watching Robb jump at the sudden sound._

_The fear on Robb’s face was both ridiculous and crushing. “Nothing,” he slammed the book shut. He glanced down, the fear slowly leaving his face. “Just…Robinson Crusoe.”_

_Theon would have rolled his eyes if he wasn’t committed to waiting for Robb to tell him the damn truth. “Hmm.” Theon plopped onto the couch beside Robb and slowly reached for the book. “Let me take a look.”_

_“You wouldn’t like it,” Robb warned. Theon went to mutter whatever excuse could come to mind but Robb was quicker. “And, before you say anything, Castaway is not the appropriate movie adaptation of it. There is no Wilson in this book.” Robb tapped the front and firmly held the cover in place._

_Swiftly, Robb moved the book out of Theon’s reach and onto the side table. Theon went to protest but instead, Robb brought his hand to the back of Theon’s neck and guided him until their lips met._

_Theon was proud to say that he hesitated for a total of six seconds before he gave in and began licking into Robb’s mouth. Robb turned and pulled Theon closer to his chest. “Why don’t we take this into the bedroom?”_

_It wasn’t until Robb’s mouth moved down the Theon’s neck did he completely forget the reason they had been the in the living room._

* * *

Theon didn’t have to take Asha to the airport until four which meant they had the whole day to do…whatever. Asha and Theon weren’t exactly into bonding activities (unlike Robb who made lists of things to do when his siblings came to visit), but they both admitted a short trip and morning at the pier wasn’t the worst idea out there. It was one of the only places they went to as children and actually were able to forget the messed up childhood they had to endure.

“Let me just get changed and we’ll head out,” Theon came out of the kitchen, wiping away the residual water from washing the dishes. “Robb, are you coming with?”

“No,” Robb declined politely, “I’m chaperoning another date.”

Theon smirked. “Rickon, Bran, or Arya?” Jon, Sansa, and he took turns on stalking their younger siblings on their dates to make sure nothing went awry. Theon would forever be grateful that he nabbed the oldest Stark sibling and had only minor encounters of the younger siblings following them around on their dates.

“Rickon,” Robb muttered. “He and Shireen are going to a movie. Actually, before you go,” Robb turned to look at Asha, “can I speak to you for a moment?”

Theon paused on his retreat back into the bedroom and watched as Asha evaluated Robb skeptically. “Okay.”

Theon ducked into the bedroom and quickly pressed his ear to the door, curiosity getting the better of him. Their voices were faint, but if he didn’t move, he could just barely pick up what they were saying.

“-wanted to talk to you about something important.” Theon picked up the tail end of Robb’s speech.

“I take it this concerns my little brother?” Asha drawled. Theon could imagine her leaning back and her arms crossed, chest puffed out.

“Yeah,” he could almost hear the nervous stutter in Robb’s voice. “We’ve been dating for a while.”

“Apparently, six years,” Asha sneered, but more in a joking manner, _thankfully_.

“Yeah, and I’m pretty serious with him, about him.”

“Pretty?” Asha was definitely smirking.

“Very,” Robb corrected. “I wanted to ask for your blessing.”

Theon felt his heart stop. Surely, Robb couldn’t mean what Theon thought he meant. Theon had to bit his tongue and listened impatiently, waiting for Asha’s slow response.

“My blessing?” Asha asked, confusion in her voice but Theon didn’t need to be looking at her to know there was an undeniable smirk on her face.

“I want to ask Theon to marry me,” Robb elaborated and Theon slid his back down the door, holding his hands over his thundering heart. He could almost feel it under his palm. He didn’t know hearts could beat that loud. “I wanted your blessing first.”

Asha didn’t say anything immediately. The silence stretched between the two and Theon felt like he would die waiting for an answer. He half thought he missed it and that only made the thudding in his chest grow later. After a moment, though, Asha spoke. “Why me?”

There was a chuckle from Robb. “I would go to the county lock-up and ask your dad but his opinion doesn’t really matter to me or Theon. Yours does, though.”

* * *

_It was his last semester, thank fuck._

_Theon was pouring over his notes for what felt like years but realistically was hours. He basically only had one more killer final and then he’d be done- forever. Robb still had another year left in school, idiot kept changing his major, but it was fine. Robb actually liked academics and even kept all his books at the end of the semester because they are “interesting” and “fun”. Theon was positive that if Robb had the option he’d be a full-time student, just hopping from major to major. Theon didn’t have a doubt in his mind about that._

_Theon, on the other hand, simply went to university to make Ned Stark of all people proud. He was a much closer father figure than Balon, or any of the Greyjoys Theon knew and he had helped Theon apply for university. It wasn’t that Theon thought he owed Ned Stark anything, but there was a strain in his chest at the thought of ditching university and disappointed the man._

_“You need to take a break.” Robb came up from behind Theon, placing his hands on his shoulders and slowly sliding them down his chest. “I’m taking the family to the movies.” Robb leaned down to press his lips against the shell of Theon’s ear. “You’re welcome to come.”_

_Theon jerked his head to meet Robb’s eye. “I have to study. You know this.” Theon’s eyes narrowed suspiciously._

_“I can almost guarantee you know everything in that book front to back,” Robb countered. “Besides, breaks help the studying process and it’ll only be two, three hours tops.”_

_Theon narrowed his eyes. “What movie?”_

_“Well, it was Sansa’s pick-” Theon already groaned “-so we are going to see Twilight.”_

_“The vampire thing?”_

_“She and Jeyne are checking it for book accuracy,” Robb shrugged and Theon idly wondered if Robb had gotten around to secretly reading it yet and if he would be participating in the accuracy count. Theon hadn’t had a chance to check what the newest book on his boyfriend’s nightstand was but it sure as hell wasn’t Dante’s Inferno._

_“And the rest of your siblings are going?” Theon asked in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine Arya willingly going to it. Or Snow. It’d be a pouting match between the two of them. Bran probably wasn’t that interested either._

_“…I may have promised them all ice cream afterward.”_

_That magic word brought thoughts of studying and Robb’s position as Team Edward or Team Jacob right out of his mind. “Do I get ice cream?” Theon perked up immediately._

_Robb smirked. “Depends, are you going to come to the movie?”_

_“Sure, are you going to actually watch it or am I going to be a distraction?”_

_Robb went bright red but didn’t say anything to the contrary which Theon counted as a double win. Now he differently wasn’t going to care about his boyfriend’s probable secret vampire romance readings._

* * *

The car ride to the airport was done in a comfortable silence, one that wouldn’t be possible if Robb had come along. He always felt the need to fill in silences that he thought shouldn’t be and Robb had made his point about Asha and Theon getting the fullest out of her visit.

They were about to turn onto the airport’s main road when Asha shifted, straightening up in her seat and turning her eyes away from the road and onto Theon. Theon didn’t look, keeping his eyes locked on the road but waiting for her to speak.

“Your boyfriend is proposing, but I’m sure you already know.” Theon glanced quickly over and Asha smirked. “You’ve been snooping around in other people’s businesses since you could walk.”

“Point,” Theon muttered, only half embarrassed. He knew Asha was just as sneaky. She was just more successful.

“Well, I just wanted to be clear in my thoughts on it.”

“Oh,” Theon looked over again for a moment, surprised. This ought to be good.

“If you don’t say yes, I’m going to come right back here and bash your brains in.”

Theon blinked at his sister’s nonchalance words but vivid intent. “Really-”

“With a baseball bat,” she added in. Her smirk deepened, “The same one I used on that little prick you used to hang out with. The creep son-of-a-bitch.”

“I don’t think the baseball bat in necessary,” Theon quickly said before he let Asha continue. Once his sister got onto a train of thought such as that, she made sure no detail was left out. “I very much intend on saying yes.”

“Good,” Asha relaxed on her seat, eyes refocusing on the road. “He’s better than people like you can get.”

Theon would have been offended if he didn’t know what she meant. They grew up in a shitty neighborhood where the best you could do was take over the family business or go into Family Business, neither of which were fantastic prospects. The former gave you security but poverty and the latter gave you wealth but risk galore. It wasn’t often that people from Theon’s neck of the woods got out, got a higher degree than a high school diploma, met someone who wasn’t scrambling to make ends meet and had dreams that people like Theon never even knew were a fickle thought. Theon knew he had been lucky to meet Robb, had been blessed to wind up in the same elementary school class, managed to somehow make someone like Robb who was too good and too pure to fall for someone like Theon in his hand-me-down clothes and bad decisions.

“I know.”

“Good, I don’t need you making more stupid decisions,” Asha remarked fondly, the only way she could get away with saying things like that. “Invite me to the wedding. Doubt I’ll show up, but we’ll see.”

Theon smiled at the more in-your-face bluntness that Asha was so known for. “Will do.”

“Alright,” they had pulled up to the airport drop offs and Asha was up and out of the car. Theon followed her out and once she was situated with her bags they stared at each other. It wasn’t that they were bad at goodbyes, they just weren’t up to normal familial standards (another reason Robb got to stay home).

Theon held out his hand for a shake, a nice out to the hug they were both trying to skirt around. Asha clasped his hand yanked him forward into a half hug: a compromise of sorts. In his ear, she whispered, “Don’t fuck this one up or I really will come back down and deal with you myself.”

As she pulled away and turned around, Theon could see a smile, not a smirk, on his sister’s lips. He would also claim to see a little skip in her step but nothing he would willingly admit to unless he wanted bruise.

* * *

_“Can I help you with something?”_

_Theon whipped around, cheeks pinkening as an elderly store clerk approached him. He wanted to say no, he really did but he had no idea what he was doing. “If you don’t mind.”_

_“Oh, it would be my pleasure,” she gave a jolly smile and stepped forward. “So what are you looking for?” she asked as she scanned the wall Theon had been looking through._

_“It’s a gift,” Theon quickly said. “Not for me, I’m not really into these things.”_

_“Is it for a friend or a_ special _friend,” she asked, eyes lighting up knowingly._

_Theon flushed, embarrassed by the whole scenario. “My boyfriend.”_

_“Oh, a man,” she remarked. Theon was waiting for something homophobic to come out but she simply said, “I think I have a few that might work. This is the section he normally likes?”_

_Theon blinked in surprise before quickly nodding his head, “Yes. He has been reading them for years.” Even if he wouldn’t tell Theon about it._

_“Give me one moment, dear.” Theon watched her shuffle away to the back room. He then made his way to the other side of the store and started looking at the biographies, not really caring who they were about (as long as they were historic) and looking strictly by price. He didn’t want to spend twenty bucks just for a book sleeve._

_He was debating between two clearance items when the old woman beckoned him to the counter. Before her were six books, three of which Theon knew Robb had read before. Then it came down to the other three. He examined them, not really wanted to read too much into them and went by the cover before making a final decision. After he made his pick the woman beamed. “I was hoping you’d pick that one.”_

_“I’ll also be getting this,” he held up the random, clearance biography._

_“Your boyfriend has quite a range,” she mused and she wasn’t wrong. Robb did read just about anything, he just had a preference towards gushing, flowery romances._

_“Yes,” Theon nodded agreeably, not going to explain the whole cover exchange he was going to have to do._

_"Is this a gift?” she asked curiously. “We can wrap it for you.”_

_Theon was well aware his wrapping skills were not up to snuff and quickly nodded his head. “Just the one,” Theon requested before he quickly grabbed the two books and exchanged the biography’s slip cover over the romance novel. The old woman gave him a curious glance but said nothing as she went to wrapping._

_“I hope he loves it,” she remarked casually._

_“Me too,” Theon muttered back hopefully._

_Once it was wrapped and displaying a pretty bow, Theon quickly grabbed a pen and wrote a name down._

_“Your name is Sansa?” she asked in slight disbelief more curious than anything else._

_Theon didn’t respond, simply thanking the woman for her help and ducking out of the store with his purchases. Theon didn’t want to explain that he couldn’t give his boyfriend a gift he wasn’t aware Robb was even into without blowing the whole goddamn secret._

* * *

 When Theon entered the apartment he was taken aback by the lit candles littering his apartment. He could see their kitchen table was decked out with a red table cloth and their finest plates. He could smell something in the oven and for once it wasn’t on fire (Theon assumed Robb was warming up a meal someone else had made). The entirety of their apartment had turned into a scene from one of Robb’s romance novels. All that was missing was Robb.

“Robb!” Theon yelled, not daring to move another step forward. “You here?”

Theon almost let a smile break through as he heard a crash come from their bedroom and a few seconds later, Robb came scurrying out. He was wearing a nicer shirt and had changed his sweatpants for pressed jeans. No shoes and his socks making him slid as he rushed into the room.

He was bright red and eyes were wide. “I thought you’d be another twenty minutes.”

“Asha and I are never for long-winded goodbyes.” Theon’s eyes drifted from his boyfriend to the decked out table.

Robb followed his gaze. “I thought we could have a special night.”

The nerves in Robb’s voice confirmed Theon’s suspicion that tonight was the night Robb was going to propose. Theon thought it would at least be a day or so after Asha left but apparently Asha instilled the same threats to Robb as she had done to Theon.

“I see, do I need to change?”

“No,” Robb smiled, holding his hand out for Theon to take. “You’re perfect.”

Normally a line like that would have Theon rolling his eyes but it only caused him to stutter now. “S-Same to you,” he lamely responded, not really sure to these sorts of admissions.

Robb smiled impossibly brighter anyway and reeled Theon in for a quick kiss. When they pulled away Robb’s eyes were determined, his lips curled up. “I should wait to do this but I want to do it now.” Before Theon could ask, before Theon could even pretend he didn’t know what Robb was talking about, his boyfriend had sunken to one knee. Their hands were still adjourned and Theon could feel the trembling, unsure if it was Robb or himself.

“Theon, I’ve been thinking about this for years,” Robb admitted, “picturing how I’d ask you and wording it out a million times. This is not nearly as eloquent as the one I had planned out,” he gestured back to the table and Theon could see index cards on the table next to one of the plates, “but maybe it would be better if it wasn’t all staged out.”

Theon’s heart was threatening to burst, this reveal of emotions turning out to be too much. “You could just say it now, really quickly because I know the answer. I don’t need a long speech.”

Robb smiled shakily. “Will you marry me?”

Theon yanked Robb from the floor and into his arms, taking no time to crush their lips together. Against his mouth, he could feel more than hear Robb say, “You still haven’t answered.”

“Would I be kissing you if it were a no?” Theon shot back, pulling Robb in for another kiss.

This went on for a bit, the two moving toward the couch with thoughts of the dinner and candles all forgotten. After a while, Robb pulled away enough to rest his forehead against Theon’s. “I don’t have your ring right now, but once I find it, I’ll give it to you.”

Theon smiled fondly. “You lost it already?”

Robb flushed. “I was hiding it in those books I’ve been looking for.”

Before either of them could say another word, the oven beeped. Robb got up and gestured for Theon to move to the table.

However, as Robb drifted into the kitchen, Theon quickly ran to the guest room and jumped onto the bed, yanking off the half hanging vent and pulling out the two books. He flipped through them quickly until he found the ring shoved near the binding of the second book. He grabbed the ring, slipped it into his pocket and raced back to the table, Robb coming out in the same moment Theon sunk into the chair.

Robb arranged their plates and Theon poured their wines, the ring burning in his pocket like the weight of Robb’s secret of who knows how many years now. Once their food was in front of them and they were both ready to eat, Theon grabbed Robb’s hand.

“Is that why those books were so important for you to find?” he asked, squeezing Robb’s hand.

Robb nodded his head. “I know they are here somewhere.”

“Probably,” Theon murmured smoothly, the secret of Robb’s still going on. “Is that the only reason?”

Robb looked up at Theon curiously, eyes clouded in confusion. “Of course, why else would I be so worried about a bunch of textbooks I don’t need anymore.”

“They aren’t textbooks, Robb.” Theon squeezed his hand again. “I know.” With his free hand, Theon dug into his pocket and pulled out the ring. “The ring is lovely by the way.”

Robb gaped at Theon. “You know?”

“Oh yeah,” Theon nodded, nearly rolling his eyes with the motion, “for years now.” This all felt ridiculously silly now.

“ _Years_ ,” Robb flushed brightly, embarrassment ever-clear on his cheeks. “And you didn’t say anything?”

Theon raised an eyebrow. “ _You_ didn’t say anything.”

Robb sighed, squeezing Theon’s hand again. “I just thought…I don’t know, it’s weird and embarrassing.”

“Bullshit,” Theon rolled his eyes, “we all got our weird quirks.” Theon looked at his plate for a moment. “I thought the reason you weren’t telling me was because you were using them as a measuring tool.”

Robb was confused. “A measuring tool for what?”

“How you wanted me to be.”

Robb let go of Theon’s hand and was around the table in less time than Theon thought possible. He spun Theon’s chair around and planted both hands on his shoulders. “I read them because they are goofy and fun, not because I want you to be like that. I love you, the way you are. With your stupid jokes and all that other stuff you think doesn’t match up to those books.”

Again, the confrontation of emotions was too much so Theon went back to a nice way of break it up, grabbing Robb’s hips and tugging him onto his lap. “Well, I suppose that clears everything up.”

“It does?” Robb asked skeptically, looking ready to go on another emotional spiel.

“Oh certainly,” Theon wrapped an arm around Robb’s neck and yanked him down. “I think we’re good, _fiancé._ ”

* * *

_Robb looked down at the sleeping figure rolled up against his side. His best friend of nearly ten years was snoring softly, mouth ajar and eyelids fluttering in the midst of a dream. They were only sixteen, but Robb knew he was in love. Or the closest thing he had ever felt to love._

_It was the type of love he’d read about in books, another half that got him, a piece of the puzzle that just fit into place without requiring him to change. Sure, Theon and he sometimes fought and disagreed but there were far more times when laughter and playful punches were shared, far more times when shoulders were being bumped down the street, far more times when they’d sit thigh to thigh and Robb felt his heart racing._

_He didn’t know if Theon felt the same way. He hoped, but he wasn’t sure. Romance books were great because you always knew the protagonist and the love interest ended up together; they always did even when they reached the climax of disagreement and everything seemed hopeless. But that didn’t work the same in real life. In real life, you didn’t know if the person across from you would be around in ten, twenty years. Hell, sometimes Robb thought Theon would disappear the next week and that would be the end of it._

_But he hoped. He read those books and hoped he could be like the stories on the pages. He wasn’t asking for a fairy tale romance with magic or firework kisses, he just wanted the security that it would all come together in the end. That he and Theon could fall into a bed together, that they could kiss, that they could hold hands and Robb could bring him to family dinners and instead of saying, “This is my best friend Theon,” he could say, “This is my boyfriend-fiancé-husband.”_

_Robb knew why Sansa idolized these books and why he did the same. It wasn’t the replicate, it was to know there was someone out there who was his and it would all work out in the end. Even if his was that snoring loser currently drooling on the sleeve of Robb’s shirt._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience and thank you for reading! :)
> 
> Feel free to come talk to me on [Tumblr](http://youbuggingme.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Second part will be uploaded sometime during the week :) Thanks for reading!
> 
> And yes, all the books mentioned are real books. Including the two textbooks listed in the beginning (my actual textbooks) and the erotic literature which I had to look up :p
> 
>  
> 
> [Tumblr](http://youbuggingme.tumblr.com/)


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